Thinkpads Forum

I need to replace motherboard on my T60 (memory controller burned out).

I got there old core solo CPU T1300. And i think will liked to upgrade the system (with 64 bit CPU).

I find on the internet few really cheap MB (different than mine). But i was unable to find good specification to them. I am searching for some kind of list where the can i find specification to FRUs. For example i am searching something like:

FRU 41W1680: 1 x PCI-eX mini
socket 469
and so on ...

FRU 42T0112: ...

Where can i find such a list?

I found on that all off MB have the same dimensions so the should fit. I have question where can i find such list and does all MB support all CPU (32/64 bit with the correct BIOS).

There are 4 motherboards to choose from.
Boards from low to high:
- Intel integrated graphics (use up to 256MB shared RAM)
- ATI X1300 64MB dedicated VRAM
- ATI X1400 128MB dedicated VRAM
- ATI V5200/V5250 256MB dedicated VRAM
As long as they are for a 14.1" or 15" NON-widescreen (these have XGA, SXGA+ or UXGA screens), they will all fit.
X1400 runs the hottest.
For everyday use and no fancy gaming etc. an Intel will do fine.
To get Core 2 Duo, look for T7200 CPU.

RealBlackStuff wrote:There are 4 motherboards to choose from.
Boards from low to high:
- Intel integrated graphics (use up to 256MB shared RAM)
- ATI X1300 64MB dedicated VRAM
- ATI X1400 128MB dedicated VRAM
- ATI V5200/V5250 256MB dedicated VRAM
As long as they are for a 14.1" or 15" NON-widescreen (these have XGA, SXGA+ or UXGA screens), they will all fit.
X1400 runs the hottest.
For everyday use and no fancy gaming etc. an Intel will do fine.
To get Core 2 Duo, look for T7200 CPU.

Hi. I was going to post my own thread but this one looks like it will do fine. My main machine is a 15" X1400 [2007-72U upgraded to T7400] running UXGA and, because I think T60s are the greatest laptop ever made I like to keep a spare (OCD - don't ask..).

Recently I gave my spare [2007-7KU] to a good friend who, until then had been using an R61e. I bought another similar spec'ed machine as a new replacement [2623-A11] but, alas, the ethernet chip is faulty. As I use my 15" machine as my main computer in a dock and have gigabit ethernet I like to be wired so am going to replace the planar.

I learned here any of the 4:3 T60 boards (including Intel graphics) will run SXGA+ (or UXGA) so, and (unusually for me) I had a few dollars at the time and am impatient so I bought the first T60 I saw that was affordable as a planar donor. It's a 14" and I knew was Intel graphics (I asked) but what I didn't know it when I bought is that it's it's SXGA+ [1951-BT2]. Also it's pristine so I'm thinking I'll keep it to replace my (also pristine) X32 as my 'mobile machine' as, much as I love that X32, I can only put up with the low resolution for so long.

So now I'm looking again for a planar for the spare 15". One thing I've noticed is that, despite modding the cooler with a small copper plate to replace the 'pad' and using AS5 (which dropped GPU temps 10 degrees) and running with ATI powerplay settings at minimum the GPU is always the hottest part of the machine. Consequently the fan runs about four times as much as the Intel graphics 14"s fan does.

I like my machines to run as cool as possible (I read that a 10 degree increase will halve the life of electronic devices) and I don't game on my laptops (tried a couple times but that X1400 just isn't up to even the simplest of modern games). So, my question; Other than losing the non-existent gaming capability, is there any reason why I shouldn't go with Intel graphics? Am I likely to 'suffer' in any other way by not having the ATI graphics?

Oh, you say that the X1400 runs the hottest - is that including the V5200/V5250? (Just on the off-chance I find a T60p planar cheaply.)

Thanks Dom. I guess I'd really like my machine to run cooler but don't want to swap to Intel and then run into issues down the track. I won't be able to buy yet another donor machine!

Regards,

The X1400 runs hottest of ALL T60 machines.
Get an Intel mobo instead, unless you must absolutely have dedicated graphics for Photoshop and its ilk.
Intel GMA 950 shares up to 224MB RAM, which is about the same as the FireGL (256MB).
If you want C2D but for less money, get a T5500/T5600 instead of T7200/T7400/T7600.

RealBlackStuff wrote:The X1400 runs hottest of ALL T60 machines.
Get an Intel mobo instead, unless you must absolutely have dedicated graphics for Photoshop and its ilk.
Intel GMA 950 shares up to 224MB RAM, which is about the same as the FireGL (256MB).
If you want C2D but for less money, get a T5500/T5600 instead of T7200/T7400/T7600.

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate it very much.

Interesting that the X1400 runs hotter than the FireGL chips. AIUI they're the same fab so it's not like they're later and more efficient. Also you'd think that having more VRAM would produce more heat. Is it down to a better cooler in the p models?

Right then, I'll use an Intel planar in my back-up 15" FlexView machine. It'll make it so I can't just drop an image of my primary machine onto the HDD of the backup machine and be running straight away but it won't take long to remove the ATI driver and install the Intel driver. Thanks for the advice, I'll start looking for a cheap Intel-based T60 with 'issues' that don't stem from the planar. Heck, I might even get two and replace this hot X1400 in my primary.

Thanks for the CPU advice also. I'll check for price / availability of the T5500 and T5600. T7200s go for about $70 here at the moment. If I had more funds I'd look to buy a couple cheapish T60s with C2Ds and swap them for Core Duos before refurbishing and re-selling them. The price difference of the CPUs would make it worth it.

Thanks again,

[Hmmm, should update the sig. It's not so much I've got rid of many machines - more that I've added to the collection!]